Wandering Mindfully, March 2017
In the northern hemisphere spring has sprung, more in some places than others. For three weeks in March, Christine and I made a road trip in the western US and Canada, primarily to take advantage of the wintry conditions before things heated up too much. Coming from France, we arrived in Oregon with no set plans, only with the general idea to seek out some good snow, enjoy the company of some good friends and in general have a good time. And so we did!
Once we were in Oregon and looked at the weather forecast for the northwest, the best snow conditions were predicted to be at Whistler, in British Columbia, Canada. After a few fun days with friends in Bend, we packed the van and headed north, into the thick of winter.
The road trip flowed beautifully. Along with visiting friends, highlights of the trip included a few excellent powder days at Whistler, including one day of heli skiing when the storms subsided; a couple of especially luxurious days at the Banff Springs Hotel; meandering through Montana; Christine's first paraglider flight, in Jackson Hole; having a wonderful dinner prepared by our vibrant and inspirational 96 year old friend in Grand Junction; a last minute detour to visit Dead Horse Point, Canyonlands and Arches National Park.
This was a real detour, actually a retracement of our tracks. We were cruising westward across Utah at sunrise on our way back to Bend when, after having gone many miles past the turn-off to Moab, it dawned on me that we just had to go back and spend this gorgeous day getting a taste of the southwest, even if it meant having to drive at night in order to get back to Bend in time for Christine to pack and make her flight. So we turned around and enjoyed a day of spectacular canyons, arches, towers and fins until the sun set. This day was like the icing on the cake.
In stark contrast to the sunny shorts and T-shirt weather in the Moab area, driving across Idaho the next day we had full-on blizzard conditions. It was wild! The wind-driven snow slowed down our progress a bit, but we made it back in time for Christine's flight. I scheduled some extra days in Bend for myself, to attend to stuff.
Life is so incredible, always amazing beyond comprehension. We don't know what this human life is, yet I feel so very blessed by the experiencing of whatever it is, including the ability to wander around this awesome planet we call home, marveling at all that is. This recent road trip has somehow brought my sense of appreciation to an even deeper level.
Read MoreOnce we were in Oregon and looked at the weather forecast for the northwest, the best snow conditions were predicted to be at Whistler, in British Columbia, Canada. After a few fun days with friends in Bend, we packed the van and headed north, into the thick of winter.
The road trip flowed beautifully. Along with visiting friends, highlights of the trip included a few excellent powder days at Whistler, including one day of heli skiing when the storms subsided; a couple of especially luxurious days at the Banff Springs Hotel; meandering through Montana; Christine's first paraglider flight, in Jackson Hole; having a wonderful dinner prepared by our vibrant and inspirational 96 year old friend in Grand Junction; a last minute detour to visit Dead Horse Point, Canyonlands and Arches National Park.
This was a real detour, actually a retracement of our tracks. We were cruising westward across Utah at sunrise on our way back to Bend when, after having gone many miles past the turn-off to Moab, it dawned on me that we just had to go back and spend this gorgeous day getting a taste of the southwest, even if it meant having to drive at night in order to get back to Bend in time for Christine to pack and make her flight. So we turned around and enjoyed a day of spectacular canyons, arches, towers and fins until the sun set. This day was like the icing on the cake.
In stark contrast to the sunny shorts and T-shirt weather in the Moab area, driving across Idaho the next day we had full-on blizzard conditions. It was wild! The wind-driven snow slowed down our progress a bit, but we made it back in time for Christine's flight. I scheduled some extra days in Bend for myself, to attend to stuff.
Life is so incredible, always amazing beyond comprehension. We don't know what this human life is, yet I feel so very blessed by the experiencing of whatever it is, including the ability to wander around this awesome planet we call home, marveling at all that is. This recent road trip has somehow brought my sense of appreciation to an even deeper level.
The road trip began and ended in Bend.
